Teenagers especially girls are always very conscious about their weight and shape which is why, eating disorders are quite common among them. Statistics show a very high rate of occurrence of anorexia nervosa, which is a mental eating disorder in juvenile women.

How is anorexia represented?

Anorexia shows the following manifestations:

Extreme loss of weight

Severe loss of appetite

Imagine a girl with anorexia. You will see a very lean person who has lost considerable amount of weight but still considers herself overweight. She is in a self-starvation state an because of this, the body has started using her body fat as a source of energy.

Just like this girl who is suffering from anorexia, anorexia patients show the following symptoms:

• Many pounds of weight is lost

• The patient fails to maintain the weight that is ideal for them

• The patient is afraid of gaining weight

• The patient becomes weak and very lean

• The patient assumes themselves as overweight and becomes sad on this thought

• They become sadder and feel bad about themselves because the way they look affects how they feel.

How anorexia nervosa affects the body?

Think of your body getting no nutrient from diet because you are not eating as much as you should. What will happen? The body has to get energy and nutrient from somewhere and so it starts breaking down your fat stores. So in this energy saving mode, the normal functions of the body are hampered. That person comes with:

Slow pulse rate

Low Blood Pressure

Loss of muscles

Weak bones

Getting easily fatigued

Showing weakness

Dehydrated

If you see any person around you with this eating disorder, you should report this to a doctor immediately.